FS 1-2-62
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Storage of Fuchsias, Geraniums,
Tuberous Begonias, etc.
Prepared by RAY A. MCNEILAN
Multnomah County Extension Agent
Fuchsias
Fuchsias are in some cases quite hardy and will
winter-over outside if in a protected spot or given a
little shelter. Others should be dug just ahead of frost
and severely pruned back so as not to take up undue
room. They can then be wintered in a cool place such
as a garage, porch, greenhouse, or cold frame in slightly
nipist sawdust, peat moss, or straw.
Storage of old plants(Several methods)
Store outside in dry sawdust in a sheltered box
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or frame. Prune plants back to about two or
kept growing slowly. Water sparingly in this
type of storage in order to allow for as long a
dormancy period as possible.
F. A good method is to root tip cuttings and pot
in sand. These cuttings can then be glowil as
house plants, but keep them well pruned. To
make cuttings usually the tip to 1 inch of the
plant is best. Leave two leaves and the center
leaf. Handle the same as other cuttings. Peat-
moss or vermiculite can also be used for rooting
cuttings, but it is not as satisfactory as sand. As
soon as plants have rooted, pot them in 2- to 3inch pots.
three leaf buds of last seasons' growth. Let the
plant go as dormant as possible before storing,
but don't let it freeze. Uncover in late March Geraniums
Geraniums usually have to be lifted in the fall beor early April before the plants start to put out
shoots and keep as a house plant until safe to fore heavy frosts occur if they are to be saved. Cuttings
set in the yard. If the plant has already begun to can be and usually are made at this time the same as for
put out new shoots, pinch them off and force fuchsias except that the cuttings should be 3 to 5 inches
new ones to come out. Sometimes it is difficult long. When making geranium cuttings use only the tip
to get buds to start from old wood. If plants part of the plant. Plants which have received rough
have been growing in the garden, roots should be treatment in the summer usually have to be cut back
severely and forced to make new tips, which make the
examined for strawberry root weevil.
Dig a trench 12 to 18 inches deep in a well- best cuttings. These make better plants than old ones
drained area. Place 4 inches of sawdust in the carried over. In carrying over old plants it is best to
bottom; prune the plants as described in A; lay cut them back severely and plant in as small a pot as
the plants in the sawdust, cover with sawdust, possible. They should be watered once and stored in a
and place soil on the top. Plants must be as cool place with some light. A rot problem often occurs
dormant as possible when placed in the trench. with geraniums and there is no known method of conCarry plants over in the basement or garage but trolling it. In order to reduce the rot, plants should be
keep slowly growing. These plants usually are kept .rowing very slowly during the winter.
difficult to get started in the spring and may not
bloom as profusely as you would like.
If the house has a window well, remove window
and place on top of the well and plants will keep
in the well very satisfactorily. Plants must be
Tuberous Begonias
Lift mature plants carefully just prior to fall frosts.
Cut back most of the top but leave the ball of roots and
soil intact.
This is one of a series of Fact Sheets reporting Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, F. E. Price, director. Printed and distributed in furtherance of Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30,
1914. Oregon State University, Oregon Counties, and U. S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.
the corms are dry. Corms, after curing and ready for
storage, can be placed in dry vermiculite and stored in
Shake off soil and remove balance of stalks and the garage. Temperatures higher than 45 degrees will
Place in a dry, cool storage (basement or garage)
and allow tubers to cure for 2 or 3 weeks.
roots. Any stalk left will induce rotting.
Keep tubers by placing on screened trays or pack-
ing in dry peat, sand, vermiculite, or sawdust. A dry,
normally cause corms to sprout before planting time in
the spring. Vermiculite is very good insulation against
freezing.
cool storage is best.
Dahlias
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Start plants in the spring by placing them on damp
peat moss in slight pockets and giving them a warm
temperature. When started they can be planted in small
pots or in an outside bed if danger of frost is past. The
soil should contain an abundance of organic matter and
should be treated with a soil insecticide to prevent insect damage.
Cannas
Dig cannas carefully, leaving as much soil on the
tubers as possible. Store them in a cellar or room where
temperatures remain cool and above freezing.
Gladioli
Lift gladioli about the middle of October or when
the tops start to die. Cut the tops back to 1 or 2 inches
and corms will dry quickly with plenty of air circulation.
Lift dahlias carefully after the first frost or heavy
rains and cut back to 4 or 5 inches. If frost has not occurred, cut the stock off just above the ground and let
cure for several days before digging. Store in approximately 50° temperature. Some store the tubers in the
clump by placing them in sand, peat, vermiculite, or
dry sawdust. They can be kept for several months
stacked dry in a bushel basket and covered with burlap.
Watch for indications of shriveling and add moisture
if necessary. Commercial growers like to cut tubers
soon after digging, treat the cut end with fungicide, and
store in dry sawdust or vermiculite. Dahlias are much
more easily divided at approximately 2 weeks after digging than in the spring. The difficulty with dividing at
this time is in seeing the buds or eyes and in storing for
the rest of the winter. Sometimes rot enters where the
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When dry, remove the old corms, tops, and cormiets, cut is made. If this method is followed, tubers should
and store the new corms in trays at 45° to 50° F. Us- be examined frequently during the winter to see that
ually a DDT dust is used to control thrips as soon as rot is not present.